Pitcairn Island governor seeks return of documents

1.00pm

Documents said to be sensitive to the sex trial of seven men on remote Pitcairn Island need to be returned, the High Court in Auckland has been told.

The Pitcairn Island governor, represented by Brian Latimour, is asking for a court order to get back documents which a lawyer claims could be highly damaging in the trial of the seven, facing multiple sex charges, due to start on Thursday (NZ time).

Auckland lawyer Christopher Harder acts for a person convicted of a sex charge on the island in 1999, but was told today by Justice Rhys Harrison he would be in conflict if he also acted for Leon Salt, a former Pitcairn commissioner, who asked Mr Harder for a legal view on the documents.

Mr Harder is cited as the first defendant and Mr Salt as the second defendant in today's High Court hearing.

During today's hearing, as tension rose between the judge and Mr Harder, Justice Harrison said he should have referred Mr Salt to another lawyer for advice.

"Today the interests of Mr Harder and Mr Salt must diverge," the judge said.

"The conflict is self-evident."

The judge ruled that Mr Salt, who was not in court, would not be represented at today's hearing.

Mr Harder was arguing it was in the public interest for the documents to be released.

During the hearing, the judge also ruled that the documents, or pertinent parts of them, must be referred to by page number to prevent publication of the confidential material they contained.

The documents have already been disclosed to the court on Pitcairn Island and lawyers both prosecuting and defending the seven men.

- NZPA